An 8-year-old boy presents for tonsillectomy. During the anesthetic interview in the preoperative holding area, both he and his parents appear anxious. The physician anesthesiologist offers to let the child watch a television show via video glasses, which he can continue to use while undergoing anesthesia induction. Based on the results of a recent study, which of the following is most likely true?
Young children often experience anxiety during the preoperative period. Some studies have found that this anxiety is associated with behavior problems in the postoperative period. Oral midazolam is the most commonly used treatment for preoperative anxiety in pediatric patients. However, the use of technology to distract children, such as playing video games or watching a movie on a tablet computer, is gaining popularity as an anxiolytic method. Video glasses may be especially useful for this purpose during the preoperative period and induction of anesthesia. They are portable,...
